Clothes wringer



y 6, 1952 L. M. PALO 2,595,404 CLOTHES WRINGER Filed NOV. 22, 1949 2SHEETS$HEET l INVENTOR A m 77/ M. E9100 May 6, 1952 Filed NOV. 22, 1949L.- M. PALO CLOTHES WRINGER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 v INVENTOR- A m/ 7/7 M. PMo Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES WRINGERLilith M. Paw. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Application November 22, 1949,Serial No. 128,871

This invention relates to clothes wringers and more particularly to apower operated clothes wringer which may be mounted on a washingmachine, if desired, and driven by the mechanism of the machine.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved clotheswringer which will operate positively and eifectively to take in wetclothes, force all excess water out of the clothes and discharge theclothes without any fouling of the clothes in the wringer or wrapping ofthe clothes around any part of the wringer in the manner in which wetclothes frequently wrap around the rollers of existing roller typewringers, which is effective to compress the wet clothes over a largearea at the same time to effectively squeeze the excess water from theclothes, and which is simple and durable in construction, eco nomical tomanufacture, and easy to use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the ap ended claims in conjunction withthe accom anying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes wringer illustrative of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the clothes wringer illustrated in Figure1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the left hand end of the clothes wringer asillustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the right hand end of the clotheswringer as illustrated in Figures land 2;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross section on the line li6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fragmentary view of a fragmentaryportion of one com onent of the wrin er illustrating structural detailsof such om'oonent: and

Figure 8 is a pers ective view of a fragmentary portion of one com onentof the wrin er i lustrating structural details of such component; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a retaining cleat constituting anoperative component of the device.

With continued reference to the drawings, the improved clqthes wringercomprises, in general, agenerally rectangular frame III, a first set ofrollers including the rollers I I, I2 and I3 extending longitudinally ofthe frame and journaled therein, a second set of rollers including therollers l4, I5 and I6 also extending longitudinally of the frame andjournaled therein, the rollers being 6 Claims. (01. 68-267) I so locatedthat each roller of one set is opposed to a corresponding roller of theother set and the six rollers of the two sets constitute three pairs ofmutually opposed rollers, roller journaling means as designated at I!for the end rollers ll, l3, l4 and I6 and as designated at l8 for theintermediate roller l2, afiexible band 19 trained over the rollers ofthe first set, a similar flexible band 20 trained over the rollers ofthe second set and having a portion between the twosets of rollersjuxtaposed a-ainst a similar portionof the band IS, a drive shaft 2|journaled in the frame and chain and sprocket means 22 drivinglyconnecting the drive shaft to the end rollers of one of the sets ofrollers.

The frame I 0 comprises two elongated, rectangular end plates 25 and26.- The plate 25 has perpendicularly disposed flanges 21 and 28extending respectively along its longitudinal edges and the end plate 26has similar flanges 29 and 3!}. In the assembled frame the flanges-ofthe two end plates extend outwardly at the respectively opposite ends ofthe frame. Two top frame members 3| and 32 in th e form of elongatedbars. are secured to the top flanges 21 and 29 of the. two end plateswith the bar 3| at one end and, the bar 32 at the opposite end of' theend plates; The bars 3| and 32 extend beyond the end plate 25 at theside of this end plate opposite the endplate 26 and an outwardly archedcross member 33 connects the ends of the bars 3| and 32 extending beyondthe end plate 25. Two similar bars 34 and 35 are secured to the flanges28 and 30 of the end plates at the respectively opposite ends. of theseflanges and the bars 34 and 35 extend beyond the end plate 25 and areconnected-at their ends extending beyond the end plate '25 by anoutwardly bowed or arched cross member 36. A member 3'! is connected atits respectively opposite ends to the cross members 33 and 36 at themid-length locations of these cross mem ers and is provided adjacent thecross member 36 with an aperture providing a bearing for the drive shaft2i. g

The end plates 25 and 26 are substantially parallel to each other andare soaced apart'a distan-e corresponding to the length of poweroperated clothes -wringers now in use.

The rollers H, 12 and I3 haveshafts imfl and Each of the end plateflanges 21, 28, 29 and 39 is provided with apertures as indicated at 39which apertures are in alignment with the corre-.

sponding roller axles or shafts extending'through the correspondingapertures in the end plates and eye bolts 46, 41, 48 and 49 rotatablyreceive in the eyes thereof the ends of the shafts 49, 42, 43 and 45respectively projecting outwardly of the-end plate 28. These eye boltsextend through corresponding apertures 39 in the flanges 29 and 38 ofthe end plate 26, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 5, and coiledcompression springs 59, 5|, 52 and 53 respectively surround the bolts48, 41, 48 and 49 between the bolt eyes and the corresponding flanges 29and 39, these springs resiliently urging the rollers H and I4 and therollers I3 and I8 together at the corresponding ends of these rollers.An eye bolt 54 rotatably receives in its eye the end of shaft 4|extending beyond the end plate 26 and this bolt is received in the screwthreaded bore of a thumb nut 55 which bears on the flange 29. Acompression spring 59 surrounds the bolt 54 between the eye of the boltand the flange 29 and the force of this spring on the corresponding endof the shaft 4| is adjustable by rotation of the thumb nut 55. The-endof the shaft 44 extending through'the end plate 26 is journaled in theround aperture 51 in the end plate.

The ends of the-shafts 48, 42, 43 and 45 extending through the end plate25 are journaled respectively in the eyes of eye bolts 68, GI, 62 and 63which eye bolts extend through corresponding apertures in the flanges 21and 28, and compression springs 64, 65, 86 and respectively surroundthese bolts between the eyes of the bolts and the corresponding flangesto urge the ends of the shafts or axles of opposed rollers toward eachother. The end of the shaft 4| extending through the end plate 25 may bejournaled in the eye of an eye bolt threaded into a thumb nut 88 toprovide for this end of the shaft 4| a bearing support similar to thatillustrated in Figure 5.

The drive shaft 2| may be an extension of the shaft 44 of the roller I5and may be journaled in a circular aperture in the end plate 25 and inan aperture in the frame member 31, as explained above.

A chain sprocket 19 is secured on the shaft 43 at the end of this shaftextending beyond the end plate 25 and a chain sprocket 1| =is secured onthe corresponding end of the shaft 45. Two sprockets or a doublesprocket are secured on the drive shaft 2| and drive chains 12 and 13trained around the sprockets 19 and 1| respectively and a corresponding;drive shaft sprocket drivingly connect the drive shaft to the outsiderollers I4 and I6 so thatall three of the rollers I4, I5 and I6 will bedriven when the drive shaft 2| is rotated.

The drive shaft 2| may be drivingly connected to the wringer operatingmechanism of a washing machine on which the wringer is mounted or may bedriven by other suitable power or manually operated means as may bedesired.

The rollers II to I8, inclusive, are preferably made of rubber or somesimilar material and each roller has thereon three lug wheels, asindicated at 14, 15 and 16 in Figure 6. The lug wheels 14 and 15 arelocated near the respectively opposite ends of the roller and the lugwheel 15 is mounted adjacent the mid-length location of the roller andthese lug wheels engage the corresponding bands I9 and 29 to insuremovement of the bands with rotation of the rollers, without slippage ofthe rollers in the bands.

The two flexible bands I9 and 29 may be identical in construction and adescription of only one is considered necessary for the purposes of thepresent disclosure, the band I9 having been selected for detailillustration and description.

This band comprises a plurality of flat, elongated metal platesofrectangular shape disposed in edge to edge relationship with each plateconnected to. its adjacent plate by a. hinged struc ture comprisingspaced apart apertured tongues 11 projecting from one edge of each plateand received in corresponding notches in the contiguous edge of theadjacent plate and suitable hinge pins 18 extending through the platesand tongues to pivotally secure adjacent plates together in, the mannerillustrated in Figure 8 for the two plates 19. Near their opposite endsand at their mid-length locations the plates 19 are provided withapertures 88 in which the teeth of the lug wheels 14, 15 and16 engageand the link plates constitute a continuous band or belt, one such beltbeing trained around the three rollers II, [2 and|3 of the first set ofrollers and the other band, being trained around the three rollers I4,I5 and I8 of the'second set.

A series of uniformly spaced apart lugs 8| is secured to each plate 19so that the series of lugs extends longitudinally of the platesubstantially along the mid-width location thereof. These lugs may besecured to theplates by reduced extensions on the lugs extending throughapertures 82 in the plates and riveted ovenasindicated at 83 in Figure7. Each lug 8| has at one end a bottom or base flange 84 bearing on theouter surface of the corresponding plate 19 and has at its opposite endan enlarged head or bead connected to the base flange 84 by a thin web86.

Elongated blocks 81 of suitable resilient material, such as vulcanizedrubber, are secured on the plates by the lugs 8|. These blocks 81 haverecesses therein receiving the spaced apart lugs 8| and the blocksextend longitudinally of the plates 19 respectively and are preferablyof square or rectangular cross sectional shape. These blocks have awidth substantially equal to the width of the plates 19 so that in thestraight portions of the bands the blocks are disposed in side bysidecontacting relationship, as illustrated in Figure 4, and provide attheir outer faces a substantially continuous surface for each such bandportion and the blocks are of such a thickness that the outer faces ofthe blocks of the two juxtaposed portions of the bands I9 and 28 be-.

tween the first and second sets of rollers are in contact, as alsoillustrated in Figure 4, when the wringer is empty.

When the bands pass around the outer sides of the side rollers theadjacent blocks 81 are separated and move relative to any materialpassing th p lgh the wringer. This slight 'separation of the outer facesof the blocks at each side of the wringer greatly facilitates theoperation of the wringer providing a positive feed so that wet clothesare drawn into the wringer without material" resistance and so that theclothes are discharged from the wringer without any appreciable tendencyto follow the bands around the outside rollers at the discharge side ofthe wringer. This last operation is caused by the loosening elfectoccasioned by the separation of the blocks freeing the blocks from theclothes against whichthe blocks have been compressed during the passageof the clothes through the wringer between the juxtaposed portions ofthe two flexible bands. Also, since the use of the bands greatlyincreases the area of the wringer in compressive contact with theclothes, the ex:

are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein,

What is claimed is:

1. A clothes wringer comprising a generally rectangular frame, at leasttwo pairs of opposed rollers mounted in said frame, journal means forsaid rollers carried by said frame and resiliently forcing the tworollers of each pair of opposed rollers together, two jointed bandstrained. over said. rollers and carried thereby so that each bandencompasses one roller of each pair of opposed rollers and said bandsare juxtaposed along adjacent portions thereof and resiliently forcedtogether by the roller journal means, and means carried by saidframe-and connected to the rollers within at least one of said bands fordriving such rollers.

2. A clothes wringer comprising a generally rectangular frame, at leasttwo pairs of opposed:

rollers mounted in said frame, journal meansfor said rollers carried bysaid frame and resiliently forcing the two rollers of each pair ofopposed rollers together, two jointed bands trained over said rollersand carried thereby so that each band encompass one roller of each pairofopposed rollers and said bands are juxtaposed along adjacent portionsthereof and resiliently forced together by the roller journal means,means carried by said frame and connected to the rollers; within atleast one of said bands for driving,

such rollers, said frame comprising two end plates of elongatedrectangular shape having perpene dicularly disposed flanges along thelongitudinal edges thereof and having transversely elongated aperturestherein, elongated bars secured at their ends to the flanges of said endplates respectively at the respectively opposite ends of such flanges tohold said end plates in spaced apart position substantially parallel toeach other, and each of said rollers having an elongated coaxial shaftextending at its ends through the corresponding apertures in said endplates, said flanges having apertures therein and said journal means forsaid rollers comprising eye bolts extending through correspondingapertures in said flanges and rotatably receiving in the eyes thereofend 6. portions of corresponding roller shafts extending through theapertures in said end plates, and coil compression springs respectivelysurrounding said eye bolts between the eyes thereof and thecorresponding end plate flanges.

-3.-A clothes wringer comprising a generally rectangular frame, at leasttwo pairs ofoppose'd rollers mounted in said frame, journal means forsaid rollers carried by said frame and re siliently forcing the tworollers of each pair of opposed rollers together, two jointed bands"trained over said rollers so that each band encompasses one roller ofeach pair of opposed rollers and said bands are juxtaposed alongadjacent portions thereof and resiliently forced together by the rollerjournal means, means carried by said frame and connected to the rollerswithin at least one of said bands for driving such rollers, said framecomprising two end plates of elongated rectangular shape havingperpendicularly disposed flanges along the longitudinal edges thereofand having transversely elongated apertures therein, elongated barssecured at their ends to the flanges of said end plates respectively atthe respectively'opposite ends of such flanges to hold said end platesin spaced apart position substantially parallel to each other, and eachof said rollers having an elongated coaxial shaft extending at its endsthrough corresponding apertures in said end plates, said flanges havingapertures therein and said journal means for said rollers comprising eyebolts extending through the corresponding apertures in said flanges androtatably receiving in the eyes thereof endportlons of correspondingroller shafts extending through the apertures" in said end plates, andcoil compressionspringsfl respectively surrounding said eye "boltsbetween the eyes thereof and the-corresponding end plate flanges, andeach of said jointed bands comprising a series of fiat plates ofelongated substantially rectangular shape hinged together at theircontiguous edges to constitute a continuous band, lugs secured on eachplate and projecting outwardly therefrom, andyan elongated block of.

resilient material secured on each plate by the",

corresponding lugs. c u

4. A clothes wringer. comprising a generally rectangular frame, at leasttwo pairs of opposed rollers mounted in said frame, journal means forsaid rollers carried bysaid frame and resiliently forcing the tworollers of each pair of opposed rollers together, two jointed bandstrained over said rollers so that each band encompasses one roller ofeach pair of opposed rollers and said bands are juxtaposed alongadjacent portions thereof and resiliently forced together by the rollerjournal means, 'means carried by said frame and connected to the'rollerswithin at least one of said bands for driving such rollers, said framecomprising two end plates of elongated rectangular shape havingperpendicularly disposed fianges along the longitudinal edges thereofand having transversely elongated apertures therein, elongated barssecured at their ends to the flanges of said end plates respectively atthe respectively opposite ends of such flanges to hold said end platesin spaced apart position substantially parallel to eachother, and eachof said rollers having an elongated coaxial shaft extending at its endsthrough corresponding apertures in said end plates, said flanges havingapertures therein and said journal means for sa d rollers comprising eyebolts extending through corresponding apertures in said flanges androtatably ewiring. in. the; eresg her end r r on oi: h crrsnondingrroller shafts extendi thr ug th er ures-in s i end plates. coimpression pr s: respectively surr u din sai e boltsv between the eyesthereof, and the, corresponding endplate flanges, and each of. saidjointed bands comprising a series of flat. plates ofelongatedrectangularshape hinged'together at. their contiguous edges toconstitute, a continuous band, lugs secured on each. plate andprojecting outward-1y therefrom,..and an elongated block of resilienl',vmaterial secured on each plate by the c re m lu s. sai pl te a in a rures her in... and, lug. wheels onsa roller en agin in he apertures-insaid platesto. preclude, slippage etwe n. said-roll rs: andsa d. ands-5.; In a clothesgwringerincluding a, frame, at least two spaced apartpairs of. rollers disposed withinsaid frame with the rollers of eachpair mutually .opposed, means journaling said, rollers in said frame andresiliently urging the opposed rollers of each pair together, and meansdriving at. least one of said rollers, jointed bands trained over saidrollers so that-each band encompasses one roller of each; pair ofrollers and said bands are juxtaposed. along adjacent portions thereofbetween said pairs of rollers, each of said bands comprising a pluralityof flat plates of elongated rectangular shape and substantially rigidcharacter disposed in side-by-side relationship and pivotallyinterconnected at their adjoining edges toconstitute an endless belthaving a-width substantially equal to the length. of said rollers, abody-of resilient material of rectangular cross sectionalshape overlyingthe outer surface of each-plate, and having a length, and breadthsubstantially the same as, the length and breadth oi} the. plates, andrigid lugs secured to each plate at; spaced --apart locationsth'erealong. and embedded in the cor-responding bodyof resilientmaterial tosecure saidbodies of resilient material to the, correspondingplates.

'6. In a clothes Wringer including .frame, at least twospaced apart;pairs of rollers disposed within said. frame with the rollers of eachpair a) mutuallyopposed, means journaling said rollers in said frame andresiliently urginglthe opposed rollers oieach a to ether. an means riing at. least oneot said rollers, jointed bands trained over. saidrollers so that each band encompasses. one roller of each pair ofrollers. and said bands are juxtaposed along adjacent portions, thereofbetween said pairs of rollers, each of said bands. comprising aplurality of fiat. plates of elongated rectangular shape andsubstantially rigid character disposed in side-by-side relationship andpiv.- otally interconnected at their adjoining edges to constitute anendless beltv having a Width substantially equal to the length ofsaidorollers, a body of resilient material of rectangular crosssectional shape overlying the. outer, surface of; each plate, andhavinga length and breadthsube. stantially. the same as the length andbreadthof the plates, and rigid lugs secured to each plate at spacedapart locations therealong and er n bedded. in the corresponding body ofresilient material to secure said bodies of resilient, mate. rial t0 thecorresponding plates, said plates hav-.- ing axwidthproviding for thefree passage of the belts constituted thereby around said rollers andeach having apertures disposed one near each end thereof, and saidrollers each having sprocket Wheel formations disposed one near each endthereof and engaging in the apertures in said plates.

LlLITI-I M. PALO.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date, 166,920 Eastman-c Aug. 24, 1875 630,556. {Sargent a Aug. 8, 1899 1,587,618 Thomas l-June 8,1926 1355,2143 Furbush Apr. 22, 1930 2,160,363 Jamison May 30,1939 2,218,588 Ruppel Oct. 22,1940 2,384,89l Nott Sept. 11, 1945 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1868

